Neighbourhood health development requires working with the people who live in the neighbourhood, as well as organisational leaders, community groups and volunteers. Identifying and engaging with them may not always feel easy, but it is essential if we want to create services and support that genuinely meet local needs. Read more in this article.
Helen Ellis
Neighbourhood health development requires the continued growth of community assets. These assets include the people and patients who live in the neighbourhood, as well as organisational leaders, community groups and volunteers. Identifying and engaging with them may not always feel easy, but it is essential if we want to create services and support that genuinely meet local needs.
The starting point is understanding the why. Leading with the community is not just about improving relationships or increasing engagement. It is about recognising that the people who live and work within a neighbourhood bring knowledge, experience and networks that organisations may struggle to access and understand on their own.
What’s the challenge? There may be a pre-existing culture, the sense of “how we’ve always done things around here”, that might suggest some relationships are difficult or even impossible. Previous experiences and the stories that are told can reinforce this, making it feel really difficult to approach a new partner, stakeholder from another organisation, or a member of the public.
Those stories may not be true. If they are, the challenge becomes one of navigating, changing and improving the relationship. Either way, people will need to understand the why. Why is their involvement important? What is the shared purpose? Importantly, you will also need to answer the WIIFM question: What’s in it for me? Helping people see the value of their contribution and the difference they can make creates the foundation for leading together across the neighbourhood.
Once someone understands the purpose and is interested in being involved, the next step is engagement. You will need to think carefully about how you hold meetings and conversations. Different organisations and community groups have different styles and require an adaptive approach. Sometimes simply doing things differently can help facilitate a productive conversation. The way you behave and the style of the meeting can have a positive impact on trust and openness. Think about your language and avoid formality and jargon which can be a fairly instant turn off. Spend a bit of time before the meeting, choosing words and figuring which to perhaps avoid.
Consider how you show up as a collaborative leader. A coaching approach, supported by genuine active listening and curiosity, is probably more effective than directing. People are more likely to contribute when they feel heard, valued and respected.
Be clear about what you are asking from people and look beyond what they can offer in terms of experience and community presence. Consider the skills, attributes and perspectives they bring, and how these can strengthen the work.
While other community leaders may initially engage because of a specific issue or area of interest, we want to encourage them to see the bigger picture. We want them to become influencers, champions and critical friends who feel confident enough to contribute, challenge and help shape future neighbourhood services.
Community leaders can make further connections with community assets – patients and service users who in turn will bring the value of their lived experience, knowledge and networks. Collaborative community leadership means adapting your style to lead with your community so that people are not simply consulted but are actively involved in shaping the future of their neighbourhood health.
PCC has designed new workshops to support your neighbourhood health development. These workshops will give you the skills and confidence needed to engage and collaborate effectively across organisational boundaries and with patient and public community leaders.
- Putting the neighbourhood into your neighbourhood team
Looking at how to reach into communities of place and interest, move beyond existing relationships and how to build trusting and productive relationships with local authorities and third sector.
Book: https://www.pccevents.co.uk/pcc/3657 - Asset based approaches to working with people and communities
This workshop looks at how using asset-based approaches to working with people and communities’ supports the building of productive relationships and has the potential to build resilient communities that can support wider NHS ambitions.
Book: https://www.pccevents.co.uk/pcc/3659 - Co-design to engage people in designing solutions
Exploring how data needs to be used in conjunction with talking to people from those groups and communities identified in the NHS Plans initial focus (those who are frail, have multiple long-term conditions, children and young people and those living with cancer) to equip neighbourhood development with the full picture. Co-design is a well-established tool for involving people in these conversations.
Book: https://www.pccevents.co.uk/pcc/3658 - Leading with your community
This session aims to explore the styles and options available to you as a leader when developing collaborative working relationships with other organisations and the community in your neighbourhood.
Book: https://www.pccevents.co.uk/pcc/3660.
